Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Things That Make Me Smile



In this ever bustling, busy, always in a rush world, I sometimes find a quite moment to reflect on my good fortune and how wonderful life can be. It is then that I find the little, simple things that make me smile.


My children. All seven of them.



Next Wednesday is their first day back to school. It will be wonderful that they will finally end their summer vacation lounging in my house all day, and I can now sit for a quite moment to read, scratch, burp, blog, doodle, and watch TV without being disturbed. By day two I’ll be so bored and hoping upon hope that the bus driver will make a u-turn and bring my children back.



Its when they are at home and fighting, and picking with each other, or just being their own usual rambunctious selves I then grit my teeth and say:



“ONE DAY LORD, JUST ONE DAY TO MYSELF!”



Then again, I haven’t been talking to the lord lately, so when HE sees me on the caller ID, I think he hangs up.



Either that or he just smiles as if to say, ‘You can handle it.’



I’ll go for the latter.



My eldest son, as stated in earlier posts can tickle my funny bone and make me laugh.



The diva shines in her own special way.



Then there is diva #2 who has now come into her own and has surprised me with holding down a job this summer, and she has really blossomed into a beautiful young lady.


Then that leaves Tisha who is twelve, Taj who is nine, Tamara who will be seven soon, and baby Trinity who is three.



Out of those four, it is Tamara who gives me the most reflection on my days when I need a smile.



LAST SUMMER



TAMARA falling off of the steps in her haste to help with the final touches in the flower garden in the front yard: “OWWW! Waaaaah, I cut my knee!!”



ME running to aid my poor clumsy child: “What happened? How’d you fall? Are you okay?”



TAMARA clearly the drama queen as her little ‘scrape’ has now become a very big deal: “Aaaaaaaah! I’m gonna die!”



ME clearly used to the dramatics: “Shhh now. You’ll be okay. Look it’s just a scratch, not even a cut. Why don’t you go inside and get a band-aid? There’s a good girl. You can stand. I’ll help you up the stairs. I got the door. Okay. Now go in your bathroom and look under the sink cabinet

and there is a green and white box full of band-aids. Find one or two and put them on your cut.”



TAMARA pouting: “I want a big band-aid.”



ME clearly tired of the dramatics by now but trying not to sound too impatient: “You can have a big band-aid. Just pick whichever one you want.”



TAMARA clearly all better now that the words ‘band-aid’ and ‘whichever one you want’ was mentioned: “Aren’t you coming in with me? Can you wipe it for me?”


ME: “You’ll be okay girl. Just go in there and find a band-aid. You can use a piece of tissue to wipe off the little bit of blood. Go ahead now. You’ll be okay.”



TAMARA walking away without a limp.



***** FIVE FULL MINUTES LATER *****



ME happily engaged in planting some lavender bushes in my psychedelic array of flowers, shrubs, and herbs. I turn around to the sound of “I FOUND IT.”



TAMARA standing on the bottom step of the front staircase proudly showing off her big band-aid.



A band-aid the same size and shape of a Kotex maxi pad without wings.



EARLY SPRING THIS YEAR:



TAMARA engaged in a conversation with her older brother at the kitchen table one morning: “You know what Taj, one day you and I will be married and have houses of our own.”



TAJ clearly not in the mood to talk about the long off future with his little sister: “I’m not marrying anyone.”



TAMARA: “Well some woman will catch your fancy and make your heart tingle. She’s the one that you’ll marry. And then soon you’ll be engaged in talks about how many children you want, and what college they’ll go to.”



ME clearly intrigued at this little six year old munchkin and her tendency to sound just like her momma.



TAJ clearly annoyed now because he wants to be done with this talk so that he can play the Wii: “Yeah, yeah. Look I’ll have kids. Lots of kids and I’ll bring them all to your house when I’m tired of them.”



TAMARA intrigued as well: “Oh yeah, how many?



TAJ: “Uh, about 10 or twelve.



TAMARA sucks in her breath sharply, eyes nearing bulging out of her head as she stares at her brother while holding her spoonful of cheerios precariously over the edge of her bowl. “Huh?!?”



ME nearly choking on the piece of toast that I almost sucked down my throat at Tajs’ response.



TAJ happy that he finally got Tamara to shut up for once since they began eating: “Yup about ten or twelve will do. I gotta get a big house though.”



TAMARA: Silence



ME: Stunned silence



TAJ drinking the last of his milk and burping in response to our stares. “What about you, how many children are you gonna have?”



TAMARA recovering from the shock of being told that she will one day be the aunt to ten or twelve nieces or nephews from one brother: “I don’t know Taj. I guess I’ll just borrow some of yours.”



LAST WEEK


TIA searching for some tool to finish a necklace that she was repairing: “Help me find it Tamara. I seen you with it last. I told you again and again not to touch my things.”



TAMARA sitting on the couch engrossed in another mindless episode of Spongebob Square Pants: “I didn’t have it I told you! Why you always blame me for things?!?”



TIA clearly losing patience: “Cause you always LOSE MY STUFF!”



ME trying to diffuse the situation: “Alright, calm down Tia. It has to be somewhere. Did you check the garbage? You know that is a favorite hiding place of Trinitys’.”



TIANA coming into the kitchen; our family meeting place, clearly looking for something as well: “Anyone see the tweezers? I think I got a splinter in my hand.”



TAMARA not looking from the TV screen to address Tiana: “I think I saw those in the room somewhere.”



TIANA: “Where?”



TAMARA shrugging her shoulders: “I don’t know.”



TIANA: “Well could you go get ‘em?”



TIA: “First she has to help me find my wire cutters so that I can finish this necklace. I have to have this done by tonight.”



ME sensing that things are going to heat up real soon: Okay, okay girls. Take a breather and calm down. Tamara turn off the TV and find the wire cutters. Tiana come with me. I think I know where some tweezers are.”



***** SOME TWENTY-SOMETHING MINUTES LATER *****



ME: “Tia did you find the wire cutters?”



TIA sounding like she is ready to explode: “NO!”



ME: “Well, join the club. I haven’t found any tweezers either. Tiana you alright?”



TIANA: “Yeah. It’s no biggie. It’ll eventually come out if I can’t find the tweezers.”



ME: “Don’t be silly. It can get infected!”



TIANA shrugging in response.



***** MINUTES LATER *****



TAMARA: “I found it.”



ME: “Found what?”



TAMARA: “The tweezers.”



ME: “I thought you were looking for the wire cutters?”



TAMARA: “Can’t find ‘em.”


ME: “Alright, bring what you got. I’m in the kitchen.”



ME turning to reach for the tweezers that Tamara has found as she walks in the kitchen, only to discover that she has found these gigantic pair of pliers with yellow handles and a scary doodad on the side.



ME, TIANA, and TIA can’t stop laughing at Tamara’s frown as she doesn’t understand what did she do that was so darn funny.



It’s these little moments that makes me smile. And grateful that I have a tribe of seven kids to keep me entertained.

20 comments:

Sheri, RN said...

Aww great reflection on the small things that make you smile. :) Back to school is always fun and nerve-wracking from what I remember, I didn't realize it also was for moms. Thanks for sharing that with us.

*Akilah Sakai* said...

My own returned this week (thank goodness). ;-)

It's the little things, the laughs, their innocence, that keeps parents feeling so young at heart... and on your toes 24/7.

Christine said...

my kids aren't back to school until Sep 8th. you're lucky to have 7 healthy wonderful kids...life will never be boring (and it can't easy (-:).

Charles Gramlich said...

I am stuck on Kotex, cause Kotex's stuck on me.

Carma Sez said...

Funny!! I don't know how you don't pass out from exhaustion, though.

I heard something else wacky about Joaquin Phoenix on the radio the other day and was thinking of your Joaquin crush. I think he's officially gone off the deep end.

The Mind of a Mom said...

We don't start school here until Sept 8th!! I'm hanging in there :o)

Mr. Bill said...

With your kids, who needs TV? LOL!

It is wonderful that you spend quality time with the kids. That is what they will remember most throughout their lives.

Tina said...

I don't know how you do it with 7 kids. I seriously think I would end up in the loony bin. I can barely handle the 2 kids that I do have.

LazyKing said...

I smiled too while reading what makes you smile.
I think we now have soemthing in common. LOL

BIBI said...

You're welcome Sheri. It was my pleasure. Thanks for commenting!

Hey Akilah! Yes they keep me on my toes for 24/7/365. :)

Christine, life is never boring with those little beautiful crumb snatchers around!

Charles- Bwahahahahahahahaha! Thanx!

Ohhh! Carma, do tell! I am all ears for any new gossip!

Mom- Oh yeah, I am a nervous wreck. I wish that they followed the school policies that they have up North. Like not starting school until AFTER Labor day! :)

Yeah Bill, my Uncle Michael keeps teasing me that I needed a TV in my bedroom to keep me occupied in my child-bearing days. But just think, if I did, they would not have been born. =)

Hey Tina girl! I don't know either. I think I drink WAY too much green tea. I am always up! One day I'll drop from exhaustion and then they'll be sorry. ;)

Thank you for visiting LazyKing. It is so nice to meet new people.

Thank you all for commenting. You guys rock!

Brenda Lou said...

ROFL....never a dull moment in your household! Your children souind downright hilarious!!

BIBI said...

Thank you Brenda Lou. Yes! never a dull moment. It's those moments that I live for.

babYpose said...

I grinned from ear to ear, you are such amazing mom of many babies :) You gave me the idea to hope for my husband will make a u-turn to be home, yes i know after 8 hours:(
Had fun reading, thanks a lot.

*Akilah Sakai* said...

When you get back, I have an award on my blog for you. Scroll to August 19th.

BALLET NEWS said...

Hello ! Lovely post - thank you for sharing it. I really enjoyed looking through your site today - best wishes and lovely to meet you !

Lisa said...

What a household, such blessing. I grinned all the way. Thank you for sharing BIBI.

Toothfairy said...

nice, it's so important to remember and think about the things that make you smile, esp. the little things!

*loves*

Sheri, RN said...

I've missed you in the blog world! Hope you are doing well :)

Wendyburd1 said...

Okay, this is all my fault I admit it. But people are thinking I am no longer reading them and so I don't want them to read ME and COMMENT, and I DO! I AM still reading you and I will start commenting again I promise!

I got into a bad rhythm when I started having so much computer problems, I started not commenting thinking most my comments were probably lame and not wanted, but i see that was a mistake and want to rectify that NOW. I am going to get back to my Comment-Whoring ways...that is Kristina's phrase remember that, LOL, and so come back to me my friends, I NEVER left you, I just got way too comfy with Google Reader and read you there!! I LOVE my bloggy friends!!

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